


Blame Game

by Keenir



Category: Numb3rs
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-21
Updated: 2011-07-21
Packaged: 2017-10-21 14:55:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/226446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keenir/pseuds/Keenir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>David keeps kicking himself and blaming himself for the death of Liz's hamster.  Will she ever forgive him?</p><p>Dedicated to:  Mustangcandi, a good friend in all times - keep hanging in there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blame Game

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mustangcandi](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Mustangcandi).



> Spoilers: the movies-and-hamster episode {6x04)  
> Notes: reference made to one page in The Mαth Book by Clifford Pickover.  
> Disclaimer: None of the Numb3rs characters are mine. Even the hamster is canon.

David never thought of himself as being Charlie's equal in certain fields, But David was good enough at math to know his odds of living to see another sunrise. (and even if he somehow achieved it, it would never again be with Liz by his side)

Those odds were in the lowest single digits possible. A.K.A. an imaginary number. What Liebniz called an amphibian between being and not being; David knew which of the two he would be when Liz learned of her hamster's death.

He knew he could leave a note of apology behind and catch a flight to check in a week early at his new job in DC. He also knew he couldn't do that - he had told Liz he would watch her hamster while she and Colby were undercover. Knowing how much Colby hated yelling at women, David how much improvising those two had done on their purported identities of a marriage on the rocks.

He was brought back to the current issue by a memory: 'Always face the music' David's grandmother had told him. _Even if you don't care for the tune._

David reviewed in his mind everything he had done to and for the little rodent. Everything had been by the book, loyal to the letter and the spirit of the law; and that didn't matter now, because it wouldn't matter to Liz.

David looked over at where the hamster was being held and asked, "Any chance you could be convinced to rise on the third day?" _No._

It had been dead only four hours, and he was working up the nerve to take it to a vet, to find out what had been done wrong. Steeling himself for the revelation of what he had failed to do.

The apartment door opened, audible all the way out in the room David and the hamster were in; David reached for the sidearm he normally wore. Two facts stopped him:

* between posting as he is, he was unarmed.

* he heard Liz's voice at the door.

David walked out to welcome her home - _she's early_ \- and break the news. He never got the chance.

"Hey!" Liz greeted him, mock-punch on one arm. She looked about ready to give David a hug, but he stepped to the side. "Thanks, David, for everything."

"About 'everything,' Liz, I -"

"You hungry? I'm famished. You would not believe how much Colby can eat."

"Oh I can," David said. "Though I'm not really hungry."

If Liz was picking up on his heavy voice, she didn't give any indication of it. "You mind if I eat?"

"I -"

Liz sighed and grabbed some canned meals from her closet. "Get the can opener, David?"

 _Stop putting it off,_ David told himself. _Man up and tell her._ "I'm sorry."

"It's in the drawer behind you."

"Liz," David said, his tone grabbing her attention this time.

"I don't know what happened," David said, "but I'm sorry. If there's any way I can make it up to you, I'll do it."

She stood there, her hands full of cans, and looked at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Your hamster died this morning," David said, and, found he couldn't even remember if she had told him its name.

Liz looked at him, blinked, and looked more. "That answers that question," Liz said, more to herself.

"What?"

Her expression grew kinder, warmer, thankful. "David," setting down the cans and taking hold of his biceps. "I've had him since I was four," and her manner reassured David that she wasn't about to bury him with said hamster.

"If -"

"This morning?" Liz asked.

David nodded.

"Well, I'm glad he waited - I know you'd have given him a good funeral, but I wanted to attend too."

"I would," David said, still wanting to help and comfort her any way he could. Though he wasn't sure why there was a time-based rush on burial. _Can a hamster be Jewish?_

"After a day, they start to smell," she confided in him.

"Oh, well in -" David paused. "'Too'?"

Liz nodded. "If its not an imposition, I'd like you to be there when I bury him."

"My schedule's wide open," David said. _Even if I have to catch a later flight to DC._

She snuggled against him. "Now, you hungry or not?"


End file.
